Give school attendance 100%

As the new school term begins, Knowsley Council is launching its school attendance campaign. The campaign encourages pupils to have 100% school attendance and highlights the fact that there are no excuses for absence from school.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services, Councillor Gary See, is committed to improving the quality of education throughout the borough and believes the importance of regular attendance cannot be overestimated when ensuring that all young people have the best opportunities for accessing education, employment or training.

If children have good attendance levels, they are likely to achieve better exam results. Research shows that even a few days missed from school can mean a drop of a GCSE grade across all subjects. Good attendance also shows potential employers that a student is reliable, which may help improve their chances of getting a better job in the future. Our message is simple – give school attendance 100%.

Parents and carers have a responsibility for making sure their child goes to school regularly and doesn’t miss out on their education. In addition, Head Teachers will not authorise requests for days off in term-time, other than in exceptional circumstances, which do not include holidays, birthdays or visiting relatives.

The council regularly monitors the school attendance of pupils and will work with the pupil, their parent or carer and the school to address any attendance issues at an early stage. For further information, tips and advice on how to improve your child’s attendance, contact the School Inclusion Team on 0151 443 5147. In addition, an advice to parents leaflet can be downloaded from the council’s website – www.knowsley.gov.uk